Slide box tray erecting machine



May 1, 1962 H. s. LEVKOFF 3,031,935

SLIDE BOX TRAY ERECTING MACHINE Filed June 10, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m H 3 l u Rm w O V E 7 T e N 3 N L R 1 w 0 T .n N T I I J 1 1 A VWY m H M 1 m W u l m i 9 5 5 F m H. S. LEVKOFF May 1, 1962 SLIDE BOX TRAY ERECTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I E Hill L H i 9 Filed June 10, 1960 FIG. 3

INVENTOR Henry S. Levkoff BY ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,031,935 SLIDE BOX TRAY ERECTING MACHINE Henry S. Levkolf, Great Neck, NY. Standard Folding Trays Corporation, 85th St. and 24th Ave., Jackson Heights, N.Y.)

Filed June 10, 1960, Ser. No. 35,271 3 Claims. (Cl. 93-49) This invention relates to apparatus for automatically erecting or setting up cardboard boxes or cartons of the tray type, and more especially to apparatus for setting up trays for slide boxes.

A slide box consists of 2 parts, namely, a tubular member usually open at both ends and usually rectangular in cross section, and a tray part which holds the contents, often consisting of small manufactured articles of various sorts such for example as staples. It is advantageous to supply both of these box parts to the user in fiat folded condition. That is to say, the tubular part being in the form of a hollow parallelogram in endwise view is easily flattened by compressing its sides of greater area against one another so that the opposite edges of the flattened article constitute diagonally opposite corners of the carton when set up. This tubular member is easily set up by merely applying opposing forces to its opposite corners.

The flat folded tray member of the slide box consists of a blank having a bottom panel and 2 side panels hinged thereto along parallel score lines or hinge scores. At one end the blank is provided with an end portion consisting of parts which are foldable to close the box at this end, The tray upon which the apparatus of the present invention is adapted to operate has at this end a bottom end panel having an outward extension which is foldable along a cut score which is parallel with the cut score that joins the end panel to the bottom panel. The sides of the bottom panel are connected to the ends of the side panel portions, each by a gusset fold portion which, in a well understood manner, when the end panel is bent or folded upwardly causes the adjacent end portions of the 2 side panels to be raised and unfolded or swung about their hinge scores toward vertical position.

At the opposite end of the tray blank is another end panel connected to the bottom panel by a hinge score, and outwardly of this end panel there is a tuck in tab or fiap member which is in turn connected to the end panel by a second hinge score which is parallel to the first. Also, the end portions of the 2 side panels are cut scored to form foldable extensions the length to each being about half the width dimension of the bottom panel.

The slide box trays in folded fiat condition are erected or set up by the user, employing the apparatus of the present invention for this purpose by which the side panels are folded to upright or vertical position at right angles to the bottom panel and one end of the tray is closed by the upward bending of the first mentioned end panel accompanied by the folding of the gusset fold portions until these parts are also in upright or vertical position at right angles to the bottom panel and extending across the end thereof. Thereafter and substantially as a continuous process the extension of this end panel is folded over the tops of the previously folded parts and its locked end locked into a slit or slot cut during the formation of the blank in the bottom panel closely adjacent the hinge score along which the end panel is folded.

The user fills the boxes in this condition, that is, with one end closed, with staples or other articles, and then slides the filled tray into a tubular member previously described. After this the opposite end of the tray is closed by first folding the extensions of the 2 side panels and then folding the end panel at that end against these folded extensions, at the same time inserting the tuck-in flap between the top of the tray and the top wall of the tubular member.

The apparatus of the present invention for setting up the slide box trays comprises mechanism for feeding the blanks previously folded to fiat folded condition, one at a time to operative position between two mechanisms of different character for operating on the opposite ends of the blank. One of these mechanism folds and locks the parts which form the closed end of the carton, and the mechanism at the opposite end operates merely to assist in raising the side panels from flat folded condition to upright position simultaneously with the raising of the opposite ends of the side panels by the folding and locking mechanism, this mechanism initially operating to bend the end panel upwardly so that the 2 gusset fold portions are actuated to raise the adjacent ends of the side panels. The raising of the opposite ends of the 2 side panels by these different instrumentalities swings the side panels to upright or vertical position. Thereupon the locking portion of the folding and locking mechanism operates to complete the closing of the closed end of the tray.

The invention will be further disclosed and discussed in connection with the accompanying drawings. In these drawings: 4

FIG. 1 is a view of the apparatus in side elevation;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 with certain parts omitted;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of portions of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 shows the apparatus as viewed from the left of FIG. 1 and with the upper portion broken away and shown in vertical section;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view, with parts shown in vertical section, of the left-hand portion of the apparatus as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the slide box tray blank, the dotted lines indicating hinge scores; and

FlG. 7 is a perspective view of the slide box tray as it is set up by the apparatus of the present invention.

Referring first to FIG. 6 the slide box tray blank which is operated on or set up by the present apparatus has a body portion 10 consisting of a bottom panel 11 and two side panels 12 and 13, together with end portions 14 and 15 of different constructions. The end portion 14 has parts constructed to form, when the blank is set up, the closed end 16 of the tray as shown in FIG. 7, whereas the opposite end portion 15 has parts constructed to close that end of the tray at a subsequent stage in the use of the tray but which are not manipulated by the present apparatus.

That is to say, the blank as shown in FIG. 6 is set up by the present apparatus as shown in FIG. 7 where the side panels 12 and 13 are folded to upright position to form the sides of the tray, and the parts comprising end portion 14 are folded to form the end 16 of the tray, leaving the parts 15 at the opposite end in unfolded condition. These parts are folded after the tray is filled, as for example, with staples, and assembled by sliding the filled tray into its cooperating hollow tubular portion (not shown) in a conventional manner.

For this reason the parts comprising the end portion 14 comprise an end panel 17 at one end of bottom panel 11 and an end panel extension 18, the sides of end panel 17 being joined to the ends of side panels 12 and 13 by means of gusset fold portions 19 and 20, respectively. These gusset fold portions may be of conventional arrangement, but advantageously the outer portion of gusset fold portion 19 has an extension 21 which is to be folded beneath the corresponding shorter portion of gusset fold portion 20 as will be presently described.

These gusset fold portions have the usual 45 fold lines 22 and are connected to the adjoining parts by the usual hinge scores. Extension \18 is also connected to end panel 17 by a hinge score. A locking slot 23 is provided between bottom panel 11 and bottom end panel 17 within which the outer end of extension 18 is tucked as shown in FIG. 7 in order to lock the parts forming the end 16 of the tray in setup position.

At the opposite end, the end portion 15 is provided with an end panel 24 which is an extension of bottom panel 11 and connected thereto by a hinge score. Outwardly of end panel 24 there is a tuck-in tab or flap 25 which is to be folded about its hinge score connection with end panel 24 at the final closing of the box after the filling operation.

The side panels 12 and 13 are joined to the bottom along hinge scores 26. The slide box tray blank as shown in FIG. 6 is furnished by the manufacturer thereof in flat folded condition as shown in FIG. 2 wherein the opposite side portions 12 and 13 are folded about their hinge scores 26 into overlying contact with the bottom panel 11. The parts of end portions 14 and 15 which form the bottom end panels 17 and 24 and their respective extensions 18 and 25 lie in the plane of bottom panel 11 (FIG. 1). Also in this flat folded condition the parts of the 2 gusset folds 19 and 20 are folded about the extensions of hinge scores 26 (FIG. 6), keeping the respective portion of the gusset folds in the planes of their respective side portions 12 and 13, but with the elongated extension 21 beneath the opposite gusset fold 20 as shown in FIG. 2.

The opposite end portion 15 includes extensions 27 which are joined to the ends of side panels 12 and 13 respectively by suitable hinge scores 12a and 13a, and are die cut at 28 from end panel 24 to allow them to be folded at right angles to the sides 12 and 13 at the final closing of the filled box. 'In the fiat folded condition of the blank these extensions lie in theplanes of the respective side panels 12 and 13 as shown in FIG. 2.

The construction of the gusset folds v19 and 20 is such that when the bottom end panel extension 17 is swung or bent upwardly about the hinge score which connects it to bottom panel 11, gusset fold portions 19 and 20 will force the adjacent ends of the flat folded side panels 12 and 13 upwardly, and when the end panel is raised to vertical position, the extension 18 can then be folded over the top edge of end panel 17 and the folded gusset fold portions to form the end 16 of the tray as shown in FIG. 7.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-3 the apparatus comprises a base 29 having 2 upright spaced frame members 30 secured thereto in any suitable manner. Rotating in bearings in these frame members is a single shaft 31 which is rotated by a sprocket and chain connection 32 to electric motor, or other suitable power source. On this shaft are mounted suitable cams and other devices for actuating the various parts of the apparatus.

The operative position at which the flat folded blanks are set up is shown in FIG. 2 and at the right of this positionthere is a folding and locking head, indicated generally by numeral 33, whereas at the left of the operative position there is a reciprocating plunger 34 in the form of a flat blade-like member having a plow-shaped camming member 35 fixed on its inner or right end.

A tray blank in fiat folded condition is shown at 36 in the operative position with its opposite ends in alignment and adjacent to the respective setting-up devices just referred to. This blank rests upon a flat table member 37 at is left end and at its right end on a somewhat similar table member '38. It is supported at its central portion by the flat apron of a feed member 39. At the rear (upper part in FIG. 2) of the feeding member there is mounted a pusher plate 40. This plate is slightly less in thickness than the thickness of the flat folded blank of these blanks (not shown) which is arranged at one side of (the upper side in FIG. 2) the operative position.

Feed member or plunger 39 is reciprocated as indicated by the double arrow by means of an eccentric 41 mounted on shaft 31. This eccentric is provided with an eccentric strap 42 and a connecting rod (not shown) which extends upwardly and at an angle to the horizontal and is connected at its rear end to the feed member 39.

The feed member 39 advances the fiat folded blank to the operative position of FIG. 2 and as it reaches this position 2 pairs of aligning or positioning fingers 43 and 44 are operated to maintain the blank in alignment with the folding and locking head 33 and the plunger 34. Pingers 43 which act upon the forward. edge of the blank 36 are supported on a member 45 which is pivoted for rocking movement on stationary shaft 46 which is parallel to shaft 31. The member 45 has a downwardly projecting arm 47 carrying a follower roller 48 which cooperates with a cam 49.

Similarly, the 2 fingers 44 which engage the rear of the blank 36 form part of a U-shaped structure which is welded or otherwise secured to 2 upwardly projecting arms 50 and 51. These arms are also arranged to rock on shaft46 and are joined together as shown and actuated by a cam follower 52 (on an extension of arm 51) which cooperates with a second cam 53 also fixed to shaft 31.

The plunger 34 which supports the plow-shaped cam 35 is mounted on a sliding block 54 which has sliding movement on a fixed horizontal bar 55 (FIG. 3). This bar is supported in any suitable manner by means of brackets secured to the left hand frame member 30. Block 54 is urged towards the left by means of a tension coil spring 56 and is moved in the opposite direction by a face cam. 57 fixed to the left end of shaft 31 and connected to block 54 by means of a follower roller 58 and pivoted lever 59.

The folding and locking head 33 is operated by means of a crank and pin 60 and a connecting rod 61 arranged at the right end of shaft 31. The construction of folding and locking head 33 is conventional and comprises a pivoted folder 62 and a locking head 63. Folder 62 is pivoted to the frame at 64, and locking head 63 is pivoted at 65 to the upper end of folder 62. Both parts are operated by an actuator 66 which is connected by a link member 67 to the locking head 63. Link member 67 is pivoted at 68 to actuator 66 and at 69 to locking head 63. Actuator 66 is connected to the upper end of connecting rod 61 and imparts its upward folding movement to folder 62 by means of a compression spring 70.

During the first part of the actuation of folding and locking head 33 by connecting rod 61 and crank 60, the folding or bending of the end panel 17 and its extension 18 takes place about the hinge score 71 which joins panel 17 to base panel 11 (FIG. 6).

It will be understood that the cam shaft 31 controls the operation of the various parts in properly timed relation to one another. That is to say, the feeding plunger 39 feeds the blank to the operative position of FIG. 2'

and immediately upon reaching this position the positioning fingers 43 and 44 are actuated to hold and maintain the blank in this position during the setting-up operation.

This setting-up operation comprises a movement toward the left of plunger 34 and its plow-shaped cam 35 and the simultaneous folding movement of folding member 62 about its pivot 64 to bend the parts of the blank at the right hand end upwardly. The plow member 35 enters below the centers of the slightly overlapped side panels 12 and 13, or more properly their end extensions 27. This initiates the raising movement of the side members. Simultaneously therewith the upward bending of end portion 17 about hinge score 71 causes the gusset folds 19 and 20 to raise the opposite ends of the side members 12. and 13.

This lifting movement simultaneously at their opposite ends continues until the side panels are vertical as shown in FIG. 7. At this point the gusset fold portions and the end portion 17 are also vertical and in contact with one another. Immediately following this the locking head 63 begins its pivotal movement about pivot 65 and folds the extension 18 about its hinge score line and over the edges of the end portion 17 and the gusset folds and tucks the outer end of extension 18 into locking engagement with locking slot 23, also as shown in FIG. 7.

The plunger 34 and plow 35 now recede to the left and the folding and locking head mechanism 33 operates in the reverse direction to the position shown in FIG. 1. In this position the set-up carton is released by the movement of the pairs of fingers 43 and 44 which recede below the surface of feed member 39 and allow the next folded blank advanced by plunger plate 40 to push the set-up carton forward, or to the left in FIG. 3, over the surface of plunger 39 from which the set-up carton is removed from the apparatus either manually or by automatic mechanism (not shown). As the set-up carton is moved away from the operative position of FIG. 2 the end portion 24 and tuck-in flap 25 at the left remain in fiat condition and slide beneath the plunger 34.

It will be understood that changes can be made in the mechanism described herein and that consequently the scope of the invention is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for setting up from flat folded condition a slide box tray blank composed essentially of a bottom panel having side panels connected thereto, said bottom panel having at one end an end panel and a foldable extension thereof, said end panel being connected to the respective side panels by gusset fold portions so that upward bending of said end panel causes the adjacent ends of the flat folded side panels to be raised, and the bottom panel having at its opposite end an end panel and tuck-in tab extension in co-planar relation to the bottom panel, said apparatus comprising a folding and locking head mechanism for bending said first mentioned end panel and raising it to vertical position and folding thereover said end panel extension, and a longitudinally slidable plunger disposed in spaced relation to said folding and locking head and operating upon the opposite end of said blank from the folding and locking head, said plunger having a plow-shaped cam member for entering beneath the ends of the flat folded side panels, means for moving said plunger into engagement with the ends of said side panels and for simultaneously with the moving of said plunger actuating said folding and locking head mechanism to simultaneously raise the side panels and set up the carton.

2. In apparatus for setting up from flat folded condition a slide box tray blank composed essentially of a bottom panel having side panels connected thereto, said bottom panel having at one end an end panel and a foldable extension thereof, said end panel being connected to the respective side panels by gusset fold portions so that upward bending of said end panel causes the adjacent ends of the flat folded side panels to be raised, and the bottom panel having at its opposite end an end panel and tuck-in tab extension in co-planar relation to the bottom panel, said apparatus having an operative position at which the flat folded blanks are set up, a folding and locking mechanim at one end of said position for bending said first-mentioned end panel and raising it to vertical position and folding thereover said end panel extension, mechanism at the opposite end of said operative position for engaging and raising the adjacent ends of said fiat folded side panels, means for feeding slide box tray blanks in fiat folded condition one at a time successively to said operative position with the tuck-in tab and adjacent end panel beneath said raising mechanism, and means coordinated with said feeding means for simultaneously actuating the side panel raising mechanism and the folding and locking mechanism to set up the carton.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein the mechanism for engaging and raising adjacent ends of the flat folded side panels consists of a plunger having a cam at its end, said plunger being longitudinally slidable to cause said cam to enter beneath the adjacent ends of said folded side panels.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,464,407 Levkofi Mar. 15, 1949 2,541,914 Conser Feb. 13, 1951 2,753,770 Chapman July 10, 1956 2,765,715 Kerr Oct. 9, 1956 

